Art + Illustration Gallery

Self-Portrait

Pre Schematic Shirt

"Preschematic Shirt" is an experimental piece mirroring a childlike lack of inhibition and joy in the artistic process.

Black Box

Inspired by the Romantic poets' concept of negative capability, Mary Oliver's poem, "The Uses of Sorrow," and the reframing of "dark" emotions, "BlackBox" is the exploration of expressing, holding, and containing uncertainty and sorrow.

Beckoning the Spirit of Spring

Sunlight on Adirondack

Julianna

Self Portrait

The weight of lackgrows heavy.And emptinesscarves a hole—a shallow grave—in which liesmy lost and dying soul.

But hope in deathis new life.Depths of strife andsorrow grieved,a pain believed,heals the heartto rise and start redeemed.

My Name is Melissa

Claudia

“Claudia” is the third in the "Café Lift" Series." Café Lift in San Jose, CA provides a welcoming environment for musicians, poets, and artists in the Bay Area.

"Claudia" was painted in 40 minutes, capturing the bold and sweet spirit of local musician and artist, Claudia.

Maribel

“Maribel” is the first in a series of quick sketch portraits painted at Café Lift in San Jose, CA. As a monthly open mic and open canvas event, Café Lift provides a welcoming environment for local artists. In the same spirit, I have started this series as an endeavor to foster relationships and document the individuals—both artists and spectators, regular attendees and first-time guests—that make up the Café Lift community.

Painted in under 20 minutes, “Maribel” is a bold gesture painting that captures the likeness of Maribel, a member of the audience, in a short amount of time.

Carey

“Carey” is the second in a series of quick sketch portraits painted at Café Lift. For myself, the Café Lift series is a practice of being courageous on two levels. On a stylistic level, I forgo realism, make bold brush strokes, and use strong colors. On a personal level, I allow my process to be witnessed—and critiqued or complimented—by surrounding people, as well as experience the suspense of whether or not the finished portrait will be well-received by the subject.

A sitting of no more than 30 minutes, this portrait brightly depicts Carey, a regular performing musician at Café Lift.

Self-Portrait in Color

“Self-Portrait in Continuous Line”

Sasimo Sato

Watercolor portrait of homeless man in Japan.

Sunflowers in Vase

Watercolors, 2017

40 Dawns & 40 Dusks

Originating from a season of suffering, I began painting the colors of the sunrise and sunset for forty days beginning on Easter morning.

Working through anxiety and depression after a long season dealing with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), I clung to the idea of resurrections.

I was inspired by a thought from George MacDonald: “The world...is full of resurrections...Every night that folds us up in darkness is a death…[but] the day rises out of the night like a being that has burst its tomb and escaped into life.”